Judy Taguiwalo. PHOTO BY LYN RILLON
Another member of the House of Representatives contingent in the Commission on Appointments (CA) came out and said he voted for the confirmation of Judy Taguiwalo as Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) secretary.
In a statement听on Thursday, Davao Oriental Rep. Joel Mayo Almario said it is his opinion that Taguiwalo 鈥渉as proven herself to be qualified for the position.鈥�
搁贰础顿:听CA rejects Taguiwalo鈥檚 appointment
Taguiwalo failed to get the 13 votes in the 24-member commission to have her appointment approved. The CA rejected her appointment in secret balloting.
Almario said while he voted for Taguiwalo, he respected the CA鈥檚 majority decision rejecting Taguiwalo鈥檚 ad interim appointment.
鈥淎s a CA member, I find Taguiwalo qualified as Secretary of DSWD and should be confirmed. But as the committee chairman, even if my yes vote is different from the majority vote, I have to adhere, abide and announce the collective decision of the majority,鈥� Almario said.
Almario said Taguiwalo鈥檚 stance against the pork barrel system in the DSWD was not discussed in the CA, disputing Taguiwalo鈥檚 belief that her position against lawmakers getting favored DSWD projects prompted her rejection as secretary.
搁贰础顿:听Taguiwalo says antipork, tax stand behind rejection
鈥淭he pork barrel was never discussed in the CA deliberations for Secretary Taguiwalo, simply because there is no pork or PDAF in the DSWD or any other agency after the Supreme Court declared it illegal,鈥� Almario said.
The Supreme Court in 2013 scrapped the congressional pork barrel Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF as unconstitutional following public outcry over a pork barrel scam.
Almario said he found Taguiwalo 鈥渘ot only a person of high integrity and competence, but also passionate in her desire to help the poor.鈥� He said Taguiwalo鈥檚 stance against the National ID system and the comprehensive tax reform may have been the reasons behind her rejection.
搁贰础顿:听Taguiwalo: Some lawmakers 鈥榝eel entitled鈥� to 鈥榟idden pork鈥�
The House and Senate each have 12 members in the appointments body. Another House member, Manila Rep. Rosenda Ann Ocampo, also sided with Taguiwalo.
The House contingent was said to have voted to reject Taguiwalo鈥檚 appointment, according to an Inquirer report.
During the DSWD budget hearing in 2016, Taguiwalo confronted House members who are angry at the DSWD鈥檚 policy against lawmakers鈥� practice of getting favored projects in the department, which Taguiwalo slammed as a pork barrel system.
搁贰础顿:听Taguiwalo draws solons鈥� ire in House debate on budget听
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